


Put You Back Together Again

by Oblivion_Wanderer



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-18
Updated: 2015-01-18
Packaged: 2018-03-05 07:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3110834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oblivion_Wanderer/pseuds/Oblivion_Wanderer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their reunion goes from awesome to awful in a moments notice, and just when things were starting to look up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Put You Back Together Again

**Author's Note:**

> Running with a post I saw on a newmann prompt au list- Newton witnesses Hermann getting in a car accident!AU
> 
> Set in an alternate universe that is kaiju free.

The day had started out so well...

Newt had been getting ready for a lecture at the conference he was attending today and the last thing he had expected to find in his mail was a letter signed H. Gottlieb. He knew who it was, who exactly had sent this letter, and it made his heart flutter. He knew it was from his colleague Hermann.

The biologist had been writing letters to Hermann for well over a year after Hermann emailed him on one of his papers. They spent that time discussing their respective studies and other things, and some time ago they had agreed to meet in person. It didn't go well and they ceased communication. Now after almost 2 months of silence the physicist (Newt liked to think of him more as an astrophysicist) had started speaking to him again.

Reading it made Newt beam, even if it was just detailing maths and a new theory and a question asking how he was. It made him happy to know Hermann was talking to him again. Despite the screaming match they had during their meeting, Newt had missed their conversations.

Newt tucked the letter into his coat pocket before leaving.

It was while he was preparing for his lecture that he learned that, through whatever coincidence, Hermann was at the conference too. He felt nervous about knowing the other man was in the vicinity, but he couldn't let that derail the awesome lecture he was about to give.

He nearly stuttered when Newt saw Hermann in the crowd as he got up to speak. For the meantime, he just pretended not to notice.

After he was done, he saught out Hermann, who was trying to make a hasty retreat.

“Dude! Hermann!” Newt called out.

The other man froze and hunched his shoulders. “Please do not call me by my first name in public.” He turned around to face Newt, still looking as grumpy and up-tight as ever. “I was not aware you would be at this conference.”

“Yeah, ditto to that.”

“I was asked to come after I sent my, ah, last letter. Your lecture was... a bit intriguing, I must admit.”

Had he heard right? The man Newt had been shouting at in German months before, the man he was not able to gather up his courage for and try to restart contact with- Hermann said his lecture was intriguing...

“Wish I could've seen yours.” The biologist admitted quietly. “Do you wanna get some coffee?”

They spent the next half hour talking about their lives over coffee. They talked mostly about work, and only once brought up their lack of communication over the last few months. They talked, and laughed, and Newt felt like their friendship was finally falling back into what it used to be. It made him feel so good to see Hermann smile. He couldn't be happier.

Newt walked him back to his rental car, and he felt a bit of regret that this reunion was to be cut short.

“What about you?” The physicist asked. “I could always give you a ride back to your apartment.”

“Nah, I've got my bike; it's cool.” Newt replied. “Um, Hermann, it was really awesome getting to talk to you again.”

Hermann started up his car and looked up at Newt. “Yes, I... I feel the same, Dr. Geiszler.”

Newt whined. “Drop the formality already! For the hundredth time, it's 'Newt'.” He frowned and took out his phone. “Wait, at least let me have your number.”

The two scientists exchanged numbers and Newt offered to take him to the local planetarium since he was going to be in town for a couple more days. Hermann agreed to contact him later before bidding him goodbye.

Newt watched sadly as he pulled away from the curb, turning away so he wouldn't have to see Hermann drive out of sight. However, they were going meet up again soon, and Newt was so looking forward to it.

He smiled to himself, just at the thought of spending some time with Hermann. Dorky, smart, amazing Hermann...

Suddenly Newt heard the screech of tires and spun around just in time to see another car slam into the one he knew Hermann was driving. Newt's breath caught in his throat and his eyes went wide as his colleague's car spun and fell still.

He only vaguely remembers himself screaming Hermann's name, because in the next moment, he's running as fast as he can towards Hermann's car.

Newt skids to a stop on the drivers side and sees the other through the shattered window. His heart drops into his stomach.

Hermann's there, secured by the seatbelt, thank God, but he's unconscious and there's a nasty cut on his head. Newt cautiously looks inside to inspect any further damage. Newt bites his lip; he can't tell if there's anything that would send him into a panic, but he's already starting to freak out.

He stands back and looks at the other driver, who stumbling out of their car. Newt yells at them to call an ambulance and waits till they make the call on their phone before turning his attention back to Hermann. Newt almost feels like crying, but instead he sets a hand to the side of Hermann's face, whispering reassurances of “It's gonna be okay” and “help's coming, buddy”. It's all he can do to keep himself from falling apart.

Newt lets the paramedics work when they arrive, but his hands are trembling.

They let him stay with Hermann on the way to the hospital, and Newt is holding his hand the entire time.

Hermann is taken from him upon arrival, despite protests to stay with him, and Newt is left in a waiting room to await any updates. The biologist whimpers and retreats to a corner chair, taking out the letter he received from Hermann that morning.

His hands are still shaking and he bows his head, reading the letter over again. He holds it to his chest as if it's the last thing keeping him to Hermann.

_'Don't die, Hermann. Please don't die on me, not after we had such a great time today.'_

After an hour, or rather what seems like an eternity to Newt, a doctor approaches him and informs him that Hermann's condition is stable and should be coming off anesthetics soon. However, there was some complications to one of his legs because of other damage and it might not heal properly.

Newt lets out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. News was somewhat good, somewhat bad regarding the injured leg, but he would take this any day over Hermann being dead. He is given a room number and he thanks the doctor before heading out to the room.

He paused in the doorway when he got there. Hermann's in bed, all fixed up, hooked up to an IV drip, and looking comfortable for once. He doesn't look like he's in any pain right now, which is good. Newt pulls himself together and steps into the room, finding a chair to pull to Hermann's bedside.

“Man, you gave me a scare.” The biologist says, managing to keep his voice in an optimistic tone. He tries to laugh, but it came out more broken than he wanted. “They... They say you're gonna be okay, just like I told you.”

Newt's expression falls and he leans forward to fold his arms and rest them on the bed. He lays his head down and takes Hermann's hand, bringing it to his face.

Now that he thought about it, he knew he'd been worrying more than necessary, but seeing something like that happen to Hermann froze him, made him think. Hermann was certainly a stubborn guy with a weird taste in fashion, but Newt liked his brilliance and they way they were able to engage each other so easily. Sure, he could easily put Newt on edge and piss him off, but Hermann wasn't so bad under it all.

In any case, right now Newt intended to stay by his side until he woke up, which would hopefully be soon. He was going to be just fine...

A little over a half hour later Newt was about to drift off when he felt movement in his hand; Hermann's hand moving slightly and brushing against him.

The biologist snapped awake and anxiously watched Hermann come into consciousness. He still looked out of it, but that might have been any lingering anesthesia or whatever still in his system. Those lovely chocolate brown eyes of the other looked around, dazed, until they eventually found Newt at his side.

“Newton...?” His voice rasped.

“Yeah.” Newt spoke. “I'm here, buddy.”

“You at my bedside... How unexpected. What happened?”

He swallowed. “Uh, you had just left the conference and... There was a car accident. I saw it happen and I stayed with you to make sure you weren't hurt. It's not as bad as it looks.”

“You're saying you've been here this whole time.” Hermann sighed, but his face grew pale with worry. “My leg feels strange.”

“Oh yeah, well, the doctor said there were complications with one of your legs and- Dammit, they didn't make it sound too good. But that's the only bad news!”

Hermann closed his eyes in troubled thought, mumbling, “Possible nerve damage. Or maybe something smashed my leg.”

“Shh, it's okay. Do you need me to get you any pain meds?”

“No... I'm trying to take this in.” He looked over at Newt. “Um, thank you, for staying. I'm not too fond of hospitals.”

“No trouble, man. I'm just glad you're alive.”

Newt then noticed they were still holding hands, and while he first thought to let go, he didn't want to. Hermann didn't let go ether. In fact, he tugged on Newt's hand a bit and mouthed “stay” as his eyes began to droop again.

Newt agreed and moved the chair as close as he could. “I'm not going anywhere.”

As time went on and Hermann recovered, Newt agreed to drive the other to and from physical therapy and helped him with other assorted things. He even offered his place to stay for the time being. One day Newt even bought him a cheesy card that he doodled a Godzilla on the inside of.

Later on the doctors turned out to be right about Hermann's injured leg. Newt was just as sad to hear them recommend a cane for the physicist, but he helped Hermann through it.

The first day Hermann had his new cane, complaining about it, Newt said Hermann was one of the bravest people he knew.

The smile that appeared on the physicist's face was bright enough to make Newt's heart melt into a happy, gooey, mess.


End file.
